Green Bay Packers to include injured players in team photo

Jan. 26, 2011

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The Green Bay Packers will take their team photo next Friday in Dallas, thus ending the first controversy of Super Bowl XLV.

That means their official Super Bowl picture will include all the players on the roster and on injured reserve, several of whom thought they were going to be excluded from the photo shoot because injured-reserve players weren’t scheduled to arrive until next Thursday. Teams traditionally take their group picture at media day, which is on Tuesday of Super Bowl week.

Linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley, both of whom are on injured reserve, publicly stated Tuesday that they were disappointed they would not be included in the photo.

However, a team spokesman said Wednesday that no decision had actually been made, and coach Mike McCarthy had not yet finalized all the scheduling details for the week in Dallas.

The team will depart Monday, and the players on injured reserve still will travel next Thursday.

“I’m excited to be part of the photo,” Finley said via his Twitter account. “Now let’s get that ring in Dallas!”